The present invention relates to a card mounted with a circuit chip, and a circuit chip module. Particularly, the present invention relates to a circuit chip mounted card and a circuit chip module realizing improvement of reliability and reduction in fabrication cost.
A non-contact type IC card is used in automatic examination for lifts in skiing grounds and railroads, automatic sorting of parcels, and the like. An example of a conventional non-contact IC card is shown in FIG. 7. An IC card 2 shown in FIG. 7 is a one-coil type IC card, including a coil 4 used as an antenna, capacitors C1 and C2, and an IC chip 8.
Capacitors C1 and C2 and IC chip 8 are mounted on a film-like synthetic resin substrate. The substrate mounted with capacitors C1 and C2 and IC chip 8 is referred to as a tab (tape automated bonding) 10.
FIG. 8A is a sectional view of IC card 2. A core member 12 of synthetic resin is sandwiched by a pair of surface layer members 14 and 16. Tab 10 mounted with capacitors C1, C2 and IC chip 8 is fixed to surface layer member 14 exposed within a cavity 18 provided in core member 12. The junction between tab 10 and IC chip 8 is covered with an encapsulant 9 formed of epoxy resin and the like.
Coil 4 is located between surface layer member 14 and core member 12. Coil 4 and tab 10 are connected by a wire 20.
FIG. 8B shows a circuit diagram of IC card 2. IC card 2 receives an electromagnetic wave sent from a reader/writer (write/read device, not shown) by a resonant circuit 22 formed by coil 4 and capacitor C1 as the power source. It is to be noted that capacitor C2 is the capacitor for smoothing power.
The transmitted information overlapped with the electromagnetic wave is decoded by a control unit (not shown) provided in IC chip 8, and then sent back. This response is effected by altering the impedance of resonant circuit 22. The reader/writer identifies the contents of the response by detecting change in impedance (impedance reflectance) of its own resonant circuit (not shown) corresponding to the impedance change of resonant circuit 22 of IC card 2.
By using IC card 2, information can be transmitted/received without power provided in the card and in a non-contact manner.
The above-described conventional IC card has problems set forth in the following. IC card 2 is often carried in a wallet or pocket of trousers, easily susceptible to a relatively great bending force, torsional force, or pressing force. The thickness t of IC card 2 shown in FIG. 8A corresponds to the standard dimension, and is not so thick. Therefore, the rigidity with respect to bending, twisting, and compression is not so great. This means that the strain is extremely great when IC card 2 is subjected to a great bending force and the like. Accordingly, IC chip 8 will be greatly deformed. This deformation causes a crack in IC chip 8 to degrade the function as an IC card.
When an impact is exerted on IC card 2, that impact will be conveyed to IC chip 8 to damage the same. Thus, there was a problem that the conventional IC card was difficult to handle and lacks reliability.
Furthermore, assembling is labor-consuming to increase the fabrication cost since coil 4 and tab 10 must be connected by wire 20. Disclosure of the Invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a circuit chip mounted card and the like of high reliability and low fabrication cost by solving the above conventional problems.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a circuit chip mounted card of the present invention achieving the above object includes a reinforcing body that improves the rigidity of the card in the proximity of a circuit chip. The card is characterized in that an antenna that communicates utilizing an electromagnetic wave is provided at the reinforcing body.
According to the present invention having such a structure, a strong bending, torsional, or pressing force, when exerted, will not cause the card to be greatly deformed in the proximity of the circuit chip. Therefore, the circuit chip per se will not be greatly deformed. When a bending force, twisting force, pressing force or the like is exerted, the occurrence of the circuit chip being damaged to degrade the function can be relatively prevented. In other words, reliability of the circuit chip mounted card can be improved.
The provision of an antenna that communicates using an electromagnetic wave at the reinforcing body allows the circuit chip, the antenna and the like to be connected to facilitate integration. Therefore, the fabrication cost can be reduced due to improvement of the workability during fabrication.
In a preferable embodiment, a circuit chip mounted card of the present invention having the above structure includes a frame arranged so that the reinforcing body surrounds the circuit chip in the direction of the plane perpendicular to the direction of the card thickness.
According to such a structure, the rigidity of the card in the proximity of the circuit chip can be improved effectively while maintaining the space to store the circuit chip.
Further preferably, the reinforcing body includes a tabular body coupled to at least one side of the cavity surrounded by the frame body in the thickness direction. The circuit chip is arranged in a cavity of substantially a recess formed of the tabular body and the frame body.
According to this structure, the rigidity of the card in the proximity of circuit chip can further be improved. The desired rigidity can be ensured even when the dimension of the reinforcing body in the plane direction is relatively increased. When an antenna is provided at the reinforcing body, for example, a larger antenna can be provided.
In the circuit chip mounted card of such a structure, the circuit chip is further preferably supported within the card by a buffer member that alleviates the impact.
According to a circuit chip mounted card of such a structure, any impact, when exerted, will be alleviated in transmission. Therefore, damage of the circuit chip caused by an impact can be relatively prevented.
According to another preferable embodiment of the inventive circuit chip mounted card having the above structure, an antenna for communication utilizing an electromagnetic wave is provided at the buffer member.
By such a structure, the circuit chip, antenna, and the like can be connected integrally. Therefore, the fabrication cost can be reduced by improving the workability in the fabrication process.
Since the position of the wire connecting the circuit chip and the antenna can be accommodated within the range of the reinforcing body of high rigidity, cut off or disconnection of the wire caused by the card being bent is less likely to occur. Therefore, the reliability of a non-contact type circuit chip mounted card with an antenna can be improved.
Preferably, the antenna in the circuit chip mounted card is formed of a looped metal wire fixed to the reinforcing body or buffer member.
By such a structure, the antenna can be formed more easily by printing or etching. As a result, the fabrication cost can further be reduced.
According to another preferable embodiment of the circuit chip mounted card of the present invention having the above structure, the reinforcing body is formed of ceramic.
According to the circuit chip mounted card of such a structure, the rigidity of the reinforcing body can further be improved. Therefore, the rigidity of the card in the proximity of the circuit chip can be further improved.
An insulator does not have to be used in providing the antenna at the reinforcing body since ceramic is highly insulative. Therefore, an antenna can be directly provided at the reinforcing body by printing and the like to allow reduction in the fabrication cost.
According to another aspect, a circuit chip mounted card of the present invention includes a first substrate, a reinforcing body arranged on the first substrate and having a through hole in the thickness direction of the card, a second substrate arranged on the reinforcing body, a buffer member arranged on the first substrate in the through hole, a circuit chip arranged on the buffer member in the through hole, and a core member external to the reinforcing body, and arranged between the first and second substrates.
According to the present invention of such a structure, the card will not be greatly deformed in the proximity of the circuit chip even when a strong bending, torsional, or pressing force, and the like is exerted on the card. Therefore, the circuit chip itself will not be greatly deformed. Thus, the occurrence of the circuit chip being damaged to degrade the function can be relatively prevented even when a bending, torsional, or pressing force and the like is exerted. In other words, the reliability of the circuit chip mounted card can be improved.
Even when an impact is exerted on the card, transmission of that impact to the circuit chip can be alleviated by the function of the buffer member. Therefore, damage of the circuit chip caused by an impact can be relatively prevented.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a circuit chip module of the present invention configures a card mounted with a circuit chip. The circuit chip mounted in the card and a reinforcing body to improve the rigidity of the card where the circuit chip is mounted are integrally coupled. The reinforcing body includes a frame arranged so as to surround the circuit chip in a plane direction perpendicular to the direction of thickness of the card, and a tabular member covering at least one side of the cavity surrounded by the frame in the thickness direction. The circuit chip is arranged in a substantially recess cavity formed by the tabular member and the frame.
According to the circuit chip module of the present invention having such a structure, the card will not be greatly deformed in the proximity of circuit chip even when a strong bending force, twisting force, compression and the like is exerted on the chip. Therefore, the circuit chip itself will not be greatly deformed. The occurrence of the circuit chip being damaged to degrade the function can be relatively prevented even when a bending, torsional, or pressing force and the like is exerted. In other words, the reliability of the circuit chip mounted card can be improved.
According to another aspect, a circuit chip module of the present invention configures a card mounted with a circuit chip. The circuit chip mounted in the card and a reinforcing body to improve the rigidity of the card where the circuit chip is mounted are integrally coupled. The circuit chip is supported in a resting manner within the card via a buffer member that alleviates an impact.
According to a further aspect, a circuit chip module of the present invention configures a card mounted with a non-contact type circuit chip that communicates in an electrically non-contact manner. The circuit chip mounted in the card and a reinforcing body to improve the rigidity of the card where the circuit chip is incorporated are integrally coupled. An antenna that communicates utilizing an electromagnetic wave is provided at the reinforcing body.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a circuit chip module of the present invention configures a card mounted with a non-contact type circuit chip that communicates in an electrically non-contact manner. The circuit chip mounted in the card and the reinforcing body to improve the rigidity of a card where the circuit chip is incorporated are integrally coupled. An antenna that communicates utilizing an electromagnetic wave is provided at the buffer member.